1. Field of the invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method to store one or more edible items, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method that maintains a humid environment in an interior of the apparatus such that the one or more edible items may be stored therein with properties of the edible item, such as moisture and temperature, maintained in a desirable state.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently available traditional devices are manufactured by Nestle™ and Pillsbury™. One type of traditional device may be found in commercial locations, such as airports and convenience stores, and maintains cellophane-packaged edible items, such as cookies, in a large, two-tiered warmer. The cellophane is provided in addition to the actual device itself and acts to retain any moisture in the edible items in attempt to prevent undesirable intense dryness of the edible items.
This type of traditional device is problematic at least for the reason that it is especially inconvenient for a consumer to attempt to maintain edible items in cellophane or sealable plastic bags. The consumer must have the forethought to purchase and have the cellophane or sealable plastic bags available, and then must individually wrap and seal each of the edible items in attempt to reproduce the environment necessary to maintain a preferred state of the edible item.
This type of traditional device is additionally problematic when attempting to use it in a noncommercial environment such as a home. While the device may be made smaller, the intense heat generated by the device in attempt to keep the edible items warm, causes the edible items to dry out sooner. Consequently, the traditional device is inappropriate for noncommercial and limited to high-use, commercial applications.
Accordingly, there is a demand being for an apparatus and method for moisturizing food that maintains and/or increases a warmth and/or moisture of edible items, such as cookies, without requiring cellophane, sealable plastic bags, or other wraps, and is appropriate for high and/or low usage applications and prevents drying out of edible items.
Moreover, there is also a demand for a heating apparatus and method for increasing and/or maintaining warmth and moisture of edible items, the apparatus and method being easy to use, economically priced, and non-obstructively sized and shaped for ideal use on a home counter.